RHEIMS CATHEDRAL.

New Zealand Tablet, 5 February 1920, Page 40

RHEIMS CATHEDRAL.

It is reported that Rheims Cathedral has not suffered from German bombardments and fire as much as was at first supposed. Divine service was resumed in the Cathedral on November 1, but the services will be restricted to tho altar of the Blessed Virgin and the ambulatory around it. These will accommodate only about 1500 persons. Tho damage is much more easily reparable than is generally believed, it is said. A ; few ancient parts cannot bo replaced, but the beauty of the Cathedral lay, first" in its stained glass; secondly, in its sculptures; and thirdly,

in its statuary. Of the stained glass, nine-tenths has been saved and taken to Paris. 1 - The remaining tenth can bo restored by specialists, with the aid of a great number of colored photographs. As regards the sculptures, numerous mouldings will bo used. Many have had to be restored anyway in the course of centuries, such as the large pieco representing the Assumption. That was restored in 1875. As for the statuary, there are so many mouldings that it will be easy to reproduce damaged parts. The pillars, with their ornamented capitals, have suffered little; only tho two side doorways have been badly damaged by fire.